"A Donald Duck Cartoon"

Release Date September 25, 1942

Running Time 7:25

Synopsis

Donald is put on camoulflage duty, painting a large cannon when he comes across an experimental invisible paint. He finds that it works especially well on himself when he is trying to hide from Pete.

Characters

Donald Duck (voice : Clarence Nash)

Pete (voice : Billy Bletcher)

The General

Credits

Director : Jack King

Story : Carl Barks

Animation

Ed Love

Paul Allen

Videos

United States

Cartoon Classics : Limited Gold Editions 2 : An Officer and a Duck

Germany

Donald Duck's 50 Verrückte Jahre

France

Bon Anniversaire Donald

Italy

Paperino Marmittone

Laserdiscs

United States

An Officer and a Duck

Japan

Donald Duck's 50 Crazy Years

DVD

United States

Disney Treasures : On the Front Lines

Bedknobs and Broomsticks

Disney Treasures : The Chronological Donald Duck Volume 2

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #31 : The Unseen Disney

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Technicolor

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Comments

From Jerry Edwards : After his sergeant Pete yells at Donald for using brightly colored paint as camouflage on an anti-aircraft gun, Donald stumbles across experimental invisible paint. Pete in enraged when the gun appears to be missing and angrily chases Donald - who lands in the paint bucket, becoming invisible. Donald torments Pete so much while invisible that Pete starts throwing grenades where he thinks Donald is. A general tries to convince Pete there is no "invisible little guy," but Pete tosses all the grenades up in the air (exploding when they hit the ground) when Donald sticks Pete with the general's sword. The general has Pete put into a straightjacket and locked up in a cell, with Donald as the guard.

One of the funnier Disney cartoons. The conflict between Pete and Donald is wonderfully done - servicement probably especially enjoyed it. The dialog at the ending is just precious: Pete (in a straightjacket in the cell) says to Donald (who is outside the cell, guarding him), "I ain't crazy! You KNOW I ain't crazy! Go tell the general that I ain't crazy!" Donald replies, "Do you think I'M CRAZY?" and then whistles the song "The Army's Not The Army Anymore."

At the start of the cartoon, when Donald is "camouflaging" the cannon with bright paint, he sings the song "The Army's Not The Army Anymore" that was first included in the earlier cartoon "Donald Gets Drafted."

I especially like the scene in which the invisible Donald travels through a field of flowers and the petals stick to Donald - making his shape visible. Just as Pete is about to capture him, Donald removes the petals as he circles the tree, chanting "Here we go 'round the mulberry bush!" Pete chases Donald around the tree, throwing petals where he thinks Donald is - Pete also chants "Here we go 'round ..." The general drives up as Pete is doing this, convinced that Pete is crazy. Pete doesn't help himself when he asks the general if he has seen the "little guy you can't see." Donald, still invisible, sticks a cactus plant into Pete's pants, making Pete jump around like a mad man - convincing the general even more that Pete is crazy.

Most showings of this cartoon on the Disney Channel have censored the more violent scenes, such as the grenades.

From Ryan : This is one of my favorite Donald Duck shorts. I enjoy seeing him torment Pete when he falls into the invisible paint. When Pete meets up with the general, he asks "Did you see a little guy that you can't see?" Then of course the general thinks he's crazy, but even more so when Pete starts throwing grenades around. I like the part where Pete ends up in the mental hospital (straight jacket and all) and Donald is the guard.

From Per Nilsson : This is a very pleasant short. There are quite a few gems in this cartoon. For example when Donald is painting the cannon in bright colors and Pete yells:

P: What are you doing here!?
DD: I was camouflage painting.
P: Camouflage!? You poodle! You got to paint it, so ya' can't see it!
And a very subdued Donald says:
DD: Oh... I didn't know...

One reason why I like this cartoon is that Donald ends up with the upper hand. I really prefer to see Donald win, once in a while.

From Serita Fei : I absolutely LOVE this short! I was delighted from the very beginning upon hearing Donald singing "The Army's not the Army anymore" recognizing the tune from Donald Gets Drafted. This short left me in stitches, especially the part where the general sees Pete skipping around and tossing flowers.

I also loved this short because Donald wins for once. The poor thing's had it tough so it's nice to see him win.

From Julie Arsenault : Donald Duck has been one of my favorite characters from Disney and this short is my favorite WW II Propaganda cartoon; along with "Home Defense" (with Donald again but with Huey,Dewy and Louie),and "Private Pluto."

I love it when Donald (I mean Private Duck) is invisible,he is cover in flowers (showing his outline) but when Sgt. Pete saw him he scrapes them off and when he's skipping rope while singing "Here we go 'round the Mulberry Bush."

From Baruch Weiss : Aside from singing "The Army's not the Army Anymore" he can also be heard singing "You're in the Army Now".

I have seen "The Vanishing Private" and would like to
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